1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fence assembly for use on a table saw.
Specifically, the invention relates to a fence assembly for use on a table saw, which includes a rectangular table top and a slot extending longitudinally of the table top for receiving a circular saw blade. While the fence assembly disclosed herein was designed specifically for use with a table saw of the type disclosed in the inventor""s Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 2,119,279, filed Mar. 16, 1994, it will be appreciated that the assembly can be used on other table saws with fixed or movable blades.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Fences for table saws are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,032,976, which issued to R. L. Carter on Mar. 3, 1936; U.S. Pat. No. 2,064,607, which issued to J. A. Hirtz, Sr. on Dec. 15, 1936; U.S. Pat. No. 2,310,813, which issued to G. J. Sellmeyer on Feb. 9, 1943; U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,062, which issued to E. Leitchner on Sep. 27, 1960; U.S. Pat. No. 2,968,325, which issued to T. S. Wandvik on Jan. 17, 1961; U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,797, which issued to M. R. Kimber on Sep. 9, 1969; U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,154, which issued to W. A. Batson on May 5, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,907, which issued to A. L. Bassett on Jun. 26, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,485, which issued to J. S. Ducate, Sr., on Aug. 13, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,448, which issued to D. A. Terpstra on Jan. 26, 1993 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,525, which issued to W. M. Bishop on Mar. 18, 1997. In general, the patented fences are complicated and expensive to manufacture. The more recent devices of this type require custom metal castings, and machined elements.
The object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple fence assembly for use with a table saw which is easy to produce and consequently inexpensive. The main components of the present invention are formed of simple aluminum extrusions or thin, bent aluminum sheets which lend themselves to mass production.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fence assembly for use with a table saw which is easy to use, i.e. easy to move along the edge of a saw table and readily rotated to change the angle of the fence with respect to a saw blade.
Accordingly, the invention relates to a fence assembly for use on a table saw including a table top, a slot extending longitudinally of the table top, and a blade extending through said slot for cutting a workpiece, said assembly comprising:
(a) a track for mounting on one side edge of said table top perpendicular to said slot;
(b) a carriage slidable on said track for movement along said one side edge;
(c) a fence slidable on said carriage for movement therewith, said fence including
(i) a top plate for overlapping the table top of the saw;
(ii) a straight edge on one side of said top plate for guiding a workpiece on the table top;
(iii) a first arcuate slot in said top plate, a line through the ends of the first slot being parallel to said straight edge; and
(iv) second arcuate slots intersecting said first arcuate slot on eithr side of the center thereof;
(d) a guide plate above said top plate for rectilinear movement with said carriage along said one side of the table top;
(e) guide posts extending upwardly from said carriage through said first slot and said guide plate permitting rotation of the fence between said carriage and said guide plate whereby the fence can be rotated through 180xc2x0 around vertical axes defined by said guide posts between positions in which said straight edge is parallel to said slot in the table top on either side of the slot.